How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today

By the time their third album arrived in 1988, Suicidal Tendencies had whipped themselves into a well-oiled machine. On the cover photo, lead singer “Cyco Mike” Muir looks like a bodybuilder, and in many ways it seems like the album's goal was to compete with the brutal athleticism of the era’s thrash metal greats: Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica. “Trip at the Brain,” “Hearing Voices,” and “The Miracle” show just how tightly wound and focused the band's playing had become. Yet the band stays true to their punk roots with “Suicyco Mania” and “Sorry?!” In “One Too Many Times” and “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow,” Muir’s singing has a melodic quality that balances the band’s relentless attack. Suicidal were one of the few thrash bands to make a connection between the adrenaline rushes of music and sports. “Surf and Slam” is specifically made for listeners to rock out to on the waves or concrete embankments.